Amusement device



March 28, 1961 v, zlMMERMAN 2,977,429

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (iNvENToR.

BY VICTOR ZIMMEFMAN x9 Trek/YE Y March 28, 1961 I v, ZMMERMAN 2,977,429

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1957 I t //I\ 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 75 I 811, w i 1 s so 'CA I A TTORNE Y March 28, 1961 v, ZIMMERMAN 2,977,429

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY gab W ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,977,429 AMUSEMENT DEVICE Victor Zimmerman, 64-56 Ellwell Crescent, Rego Park, NY.

Filed Aug. 29, 1957, Ser. No. 680,985 3 Claims. (Cl. 200--) This invention relates to amusement devices and, more particularly, to a ball-operated amusement device of the type commonly referred to as a skee ball game.

Ordinarily, ball operated amusement devices of the type having electrically operated scoring, tabulating, and signal apparatus represent a substantially large purchase cost and require a substantial amount of servicing during use. Thus, while these types of games are attractive as such, the high initial cost and cost of maintenance has substantially reduced the desirability thereof for home use. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ball operated amusement device that is relatively simple in construction, efilcient in operation, and which can be manufactured and serviced at relatively low cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide electrically operated signal means for ball operated amusement devi'ces incorporating both visual and audible signals for indicating the score of each individual play and for tabulating the total score of each individual player.

Another object of the present invention is to provide electrical circuitry for electrically operated ball type amusement devices which includes a substantially large number of individual and common electrical circuits for indicating the score of each play and the total score of each player which is of extremely simple construction.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple switch contact plate assembly for use with the electrical circuitry of ball operated amusement devices which contains a relatively large number of parallel connected arms each having a relatively large number of series connected contacts that may be manufactured from a single stamping, each contact being normally self-biased toward a switch-open position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide novel guide and ball-retaining means for ball type amusement devices, that is operative to retain all of the balls used by a single player in a switch-closing position so as to indicate the assigned score of each play and which may be operated in a single movement to effect the return of all of such balls used in play by each player concurrently with the deenergization of the electrical score indicating means.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ball type amusement device made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front plan view of one of the elements forming a part of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing the relationship of certain members forming the signalling and indicating assembly of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of electrical circuitry forming a part of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of certain other parts of the present invention.

ICC

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view showing certain other parts of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the construction of the apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to Fig. 6, but drawn to an enlarged scale, more clearly to show the assembled relationship of the printed circuit board,

the insulating sheet and the contactor structure.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and more particularly, to Fig. 1 thereof, a ball type amusement device 10 made in accordance with the present invention, is shown to include a substantially rigid frame 12 having a playing board 13 centrally disposed therein.

The playing board 13 is provided with a plurality of radially spaced concentric rings 15a, b, c, d, each space defined thereby being provided with a hole 14a, [2, c, (1, respectively, for permitting the passage therethrough of a ball used in connection with the playing of the game. A score board 11 positioned directly behind the rings 15 is provided with individual rows 16, 17, 18, 19 of indicia for indicating the score of the player in a manner hereinafter more fully set forth.

A lamp bank 22 of electrically conductive material is provided with spaced sockets 21 which threadingly receive individual lamps 20 that are arranged immediately behind each unit of score in each row of indicia on the score board. The first row of indicia 16x, y, z indicates the score'attributed to balls entering the hole 14a in the larger space defined by the outer ring 15a of the playing board, while the next row of indicia 17x, y, z indicates the score attributed to the passage of balls through the hole 14b in the space defined by the next ring 1512; the next row of indicia 18x, y, 2 indicating the score attributed to the passage of balls inwardly through the next hole 14c; and the last row of indicia 19x, y, z indicating the score attributed to the passage of balls through the innermost hole 14d. Since more skill is re quired to direct the ball through the innermost opening 14d, the last row of indicia 19 associated therewith is awarded a higher score than the other rows. As will be hereinafter more clearly set forth, the first ball entering each hole 14a, b, c, d is awarded the least number of points as indicated by the lowermost one of the indicia 16x, 17x, 18x, 19x of each row. The subsequent balls entering each hole are awarded accordingly higher scoring points and a bonus being awarded to the fourth ball entering any one of the provided openings.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5 of the drawing, it will be noted that the lamp bank 22 is mounted upon the upper end of a die-cut type circuit board 25. As is more clearly shown in Fig. 8, this circuit board 25 has a dielectric backing 26 and a metallic electrically conductive foil lamination 28. Various predetermined spaces 29, more clearly indicated on Fig. 9 as Sp" preferably formed by die-cutting or stamping methods, provides individual conductors which function in a manner quite similar to electric wires or printed circuits for controlling the illumination of the signal means on the score board 11. The lamp bank 22 is secured to the top of the board 25 by means of screws or bolts that pass through provided aligned openings 34 in the lamp bank and insulating mounting holes 35 in the circuit board. The conductive lamp bank 22 is grounded to the ground conductor 37 of the board 25 by means of a ground contact 23 of the lamp bank. In the game shown in Fig. 1, it is necessary to fold the board 25 about a transversely extending fold line 31, as shown in Fig. 5. In order to prevent any possible short circuit between adjacent con- I is ductors formed by the die cut spaces 29, an enlarged cutout 32 is provided'along the fold line 31 between each adjacent pair of conductors. Referring now also to Fig. 6 of the drawing, the dry cell battery supply unit 39 has a negative terminal'that is connected directly to the ground conductor 37 and a positive terminal 41 connected to the positive conductor 42 of the circuit board. A multiple switch contact plate 4-6 having a plurality of spaced parallel conductor arms 48a, b,'c, d connected to a common lead 44 is mounted upon an insulated sheet 45 by means of outwardly struck and folded tabs 47. Each arm 48a, 12, c, d is provided with a plurality of electrically connected contacts 50x, y, z, m; 51x, y, z, m; 52x, y, z, m; 53x, y,.z m, respectively. The sheet 45 is provided with cutouts 49 adjacent to each one of these contacts to permit movement of the contacts from one side of the sheet to the other and into contact with the conductors of the circuit board lying therebeneath. Each of these contacts is also normally biased toward a circuit-open position in a direction away from the circuit board 25. However, the assembled contacts and supporting sheet are placed in predetermined relationship upon the circuit board 25 so as to place the'contacts in proper position for circuit closing engagement with predetermined ones of the provided conductors of the circuit board.-

Referring now more specifically to Fig. 4 of the drawi g, it will be noted that a separate row of conductors 55x, y, z, m; 56x, 3', z, m; 57x, y, z, m, 58x, y, z, m is provided for each corresponding row of contacts carried by the positioned sheet 45. The opposite ends of these conductors provide a positive contact for the lamps 20 mounted with the sockets grounded to the lamp bank 22. The lowermost conductors 55x, 3, z are operative to energize the lamps in the first row of indicia 16x, 3, 2, respectively, the next row of conductors 56x 1), 2 being associated with the next row of indicia 17x, y, z, respectively, the next row of conductors 57x, y, 2 being associated with the corresponding next row of indicia 18x, 3, z, respectively, and the last row of conductors 58x, y, 2 being associated with the last row of indicia 19x, y, 1:, respectively. All of the remaining conductors 55m, 56m, 57m, 58m, in each row being connected to a common conductor 59 for energizing the'bonus lamp signal 60 upon the closing of any one of the contacts 50m, 51m, 52m, 53m associated therewith. The closing of the circuit through the common conductor 59 is also operative to energize an audible signal connected to the negative terminal 38 of the battery supply and being connected to the common conductor 59 by means of a parallel line 63.

Referring again to Fig. 6 of the drawing, ball guide, retaining, and releasing means is shown for controlling the movement of the balls used in play. This assembly includes an insulated mounting bar 66 that is secured to the top of the circuit board 25, such as by screws 67 extending through provided openings 68, as is also, shown in Fig. 4. A guide rod 70a, b, c, d is provided for controlling the movement of balls dropping through each one of the respective openings 14a, b, c, d, in the playing board. ()ne endof each of these guide rods is secured to the mounting bar 66 while the opposite end of certain ones 70b, 0, d extend through the insulated sheet 45 and into provided openings 72b, 0, d of the circuit board. The associated end of the other one 70a of the guide rods is received within an opening 72a of the side rail 73 immediately adjacent to the outlet opening 75 through which the discharged balls pass. Referring now to Fig. 7 ofthe drawing, a manually operated stop bar 80 is provided with a plurality of downwardly depending stops 81a, b, c, d, which are supported for reciprocating longitudinal movement between a released position and a blocking position in the path of movement of the balls,

that are directed along each of the corresponding guide anat mic aes s' tvcl rsafi i a lsfi "'5" extending upwardly through an elongated slot 84 provides manually operated means for etfecting the longitudinal movement of the integral stops between the blocking and discharging positions.

While the game arrangement disclosed in Fig. 1 is merely illustrative, such fully demonstrates the applicability of the present invention to various types of ball operated amusement devices. The game shown in Fig. 1 is of the type generally known as a skee ball game in which rear legs 86 maintain the playing board 13 in an inclined position relative to the horizontal. A small incline 91 adjacent to the front end thereof provides a ramp for lofting the balls as they are rolled toward the .device. In operation, each player may be provided with preferably four balls, each to be rolled individually toward the apparatus. As the first ball is received within one of the openings 14a, b, c, d, it will drop into association with the respective guide rod 70a, b, c, d, therebeneath,

and will roll into abutting engagement with the associated ing 140, it will come to rest upon the next contact 52yv in the row, thereby illuminating the next higher indicia 18y. When the fourth ball in any one play drops through the same opening 14c, the bonus light 60 will be illuminated to signal the award of the bonus for scoring. four balls in any one opening. With the illumination of the bonus. signal 60, the audible signal 62 is also energized. In the event that any less than four balls are received in any one of the holes, the bonus will not be awarded and the point score will be determined by the total of the other illuminated indcia on the scoreboard. After each player has finished his play, the operating handle 83 is moved rearwardly to effect corresponding movement of the stops 81 so as to permit all of the. balls contained in all of the rows of guide rods to roll downwardly into guiding engagement with the lowermost guide rod 70a which directs the balls outwardly through the discharge opening 75. Thus, the balls not only become available for the next player, but also deenergize all of the closed circuits since the contacts are normally spring-biased toward the open position.

While this invention has been described with particular referenceito the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best de- 1 fined by theclaims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent, is:

1. In a multiple electrical switch assembly, a multiple switch contact plate having a plurality of parallel connected conductor arms and a common lead, and each one of said arms having a plurality of electrically connected contacts spring-biased in a normally open position, said conductor arms and said common lead defining a substantially flat plane, and said contacts being integrally self spring-biased in a single direction perpendicularly outwardly from said plane, an insulated sheet support for saidv contact plate, saidsheet having separate strips lying beneath each of said arms, and having a longitudinal slot for receiving said common lead and adjacent ends of said arms therethrough, and having a separatecutout for each one of said contacts permitting passage of said contacts from one side of said sheetto the other.

2. A multiple electrical switch assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising outwardly struck tabs at spaced intervals along the length of each of said separate plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Luther Nov. 1, 1932 6 Metz Feb. 13, 1951 Allison Oct. 12, 1954 Ofiner July 5, 1955 Clayton May 29, 1956 Henry Dec. 11, 1956 Fulmer Apr. 9, 1957 Durant Sept. 17, 1957 

